Word: williamsburg
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...eight predecessors. Above all, Reagan hopes to give the heads of government of Britain, France, West Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada a chance to chat in a relaxed, informal and authentically all-American style over the Memorial Day weekend. His choice of venue, the restored confines of colonial Williamsburg, seems perfect...
...foretaste of what may be in store at Williamsburg came last week from French President François Mitterrand. At a press conference following a meeting with West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Mitterrand lashed out at American economic policy and complained that "it is not normal for the U.S. budget deficit to be paid by us in Europe." His meaning: U.S. shortfalls are the prime cause for continuing high international interest rates; these, in turn, could squelch the hesitant economic recovery in Western Europe. As a side effect, the level of interest rates has powerfully augmented the value...
...remains to be seen, however, whether such harping will disturb the planned congeniality of Williamsburg. Reagan is hoping to avoid the sort of highly publicized disagreements that poisoned the atmosphere at last year's Versailles summit, now privately admitted by U.S. officials to have been a "disaster." At that time, the falling out was over Western Europe's purchase of natural gas from the Soviet pipeline...
Unlike at Versailles, where Reagan often found himself in a minority on East-West issues, at Williamsburg he should have comfort in numbers. Three of his fellow leaders - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and West Germany's Kohl - share many of Reagan's economic and social philosophies. The others -Mitterrand, Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani - lean more to the center and the left...
Against those risks must be measured the President's enduring personal charm and the fact that those attending the meeting are, after all, friends and allies. No matter what thorny discussions come up behind the colonial doors of Williamsburg, the Great Communicator can be expected to put an affable face on them. - By George Russell...